


Young Love

by OTTSTF



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Declarations Of Love, F/M, Fluff, Love, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, oh my lord the fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 16:32:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15100697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OTTSTF/pseuds/OTTSTF
Summary: They want to say it.But it's a scary word.What if it ruins everything?They finally get their feelings out, and it's like a weight lifted off their chests.





	Young Love

**Author's Note:**

> Good god, writing is so hard when work has you knocked out for the entire rest of the day.
> 
> One thousand words exactly. Couldn't be happier with that.

“Do we have to be older before we can love someone?”

  


This is the question Mike finds himself hearing, snapping him out of his gaze onto the TV.  
“I… don’t think so.” he slowly works out an answer.  
“No, I think you can love someone at any age. Why?”

El averts her gaze downwards slightly, as she does when shy. She sighs slightly.  
“Hop says I’m too young. I should wait.”

That has Mike wondering why Hopper would say such a thing to her.  
_Has she been thinking that about me? Does she…  
No. Don’t be stupid._

“What made him say that?”

Now, if he’s not mistaken, that put a blush into her cheeks. Her gaze shifts ever so slightly, but no more back to him.

“I…” she hesitates, managing to snap a quick look to him.

His curious, but non-prying eyes, on his ever so patient face, gives her the small confidence boost she needs, but her gaze still slips away as she admits:  
“He says I talk about you too much.”

He feels his heart leap into top gear.  
Did he hear that correctly?  
She talks about him, at home, so much so that Hopper thinks she _loves_ him?

“You… talk about me?” he questions, sounding disbelieving.

“Why wouldn’t I?” she questions, as if it’d be a sin to _not_ talk about him at every living second.

He gulps, wondering if she even knows what these words are doing to him.

She can definitely _feel,_ however. Both of their hearts are racing as they think about _that_ word. They want to say it. But it’s a scary word. _What if it’s one-sided? What if he doesn’t feel that way? What if she thinks I’m pushing it?_ _What if she thinks I’m a loser? Won’t he want someone normal?_

“Mike, I…” El starts, but fails to continue. It feels as if the words are there, waiting to be said, but they’re too big. They can’t physically fit through, so they get stuck there.

His eyes widen. His chest feels painful as he struggles to contain what he wants so badly to say.   
“El…” he falls victim to the same strain, but tries his hardest to persist.  
“I think… No. I _know_ I feel that way about you.”

It’s like a huge weight lifted off his chest as he finally says it. He can breathe again, yet he’s still panicking.

“But, I’ve just… been too scared to say it. We haven’t really known each-other for _that_ long, if you think about it. And we’ve… only just dealt with everything, so it kinda feels like I’m rushing you into it.”

Had he not been rambling, he would’ve saw El’s eyes widen as soon as he’d managed to croak it out. She’s listening, but at the same time, his words fly in one ear and out the other, as she fails to come back to her senses.

“I’ve been scared that you might not feel the same way, or you might think it’s too soon, and-”

She finally does.  
She finally notices how much he’s rambling. How scared he actually is.  
So she silences him.

He has no idea how to react as his words are silenced by a pair of lips crashing into his own. Other than the natural reaction of eyes widening, and his breath being knocked out of his lungs, he is frozen.

She pulls back after a few seconds; their eyes immediately locking.

He exhales in shock, still speechless. She can’t help but smile at his reaction as her head ducks in the shy manner it always does.

“I do, Mike.” she admits to him, finally.  
“I’ve known for a while… I’ve just been scared too. You’re right, it’s so early, but I don’t care. You’ve helped me so much, you’re so kind to me… You’re _Mike._ ”

He can’t believe what he’s hearing. Her last two words practically slap a smile onto his face, but the shock behind it is not subsiding any time soon.

“I was worried _you_ wouldn’t feel the same way. I’ve been worried you might want someone _normal_ , not someone who…”  
She sighs. Flicking her gaze across the room, she finds the fridge. Commanding it open, she drags out a bottle of soda, before bringing it and two glass cups floating towards them.  
“Not someone who can do _that._ ” she finishes.

“Are… are you kidding me?” he stimmers out, letting his gaze return to her from the cups and bottle now set on the table beside them.  
“First of all, I don’t even think about _that_ when I’m with you. To me, you _are_ normal. You’re the kindest, yet most honest… the best person I’ve ever met.”

“The whole superhero side of you… is just an absolutely _awesome_ bonus.”

That earns a laugh from her, which he finds infectious, as he loves the sound of it.

“Yeah, El… I do. I do love you.”

To finally say _the word itself_ is a huge relief, and an amazing feeling.

She fails to hold back the tear that breaks free. She never in her life thought she’d even get the opportunity to know what any of this means, never mind find someone who truly loves her for who she is.

“I…” she has to sniffle before she can say it.  
“I love you, Mike.” she finds herself reaching for him, before pulling him into a hug.

The words hitting his ears, the feel of her arms wrapped around him as they finally express the feelings they have; he too finds himself shedding tears of pure joy. Never in his life did Mike think _he,_ a _nerd, weirdo who’s addicted to Dungeous And Dragons and the likes,_ find any sort of girlfriend. Never mind one as pure and awesome as El.

Yet here they are. Holding each-other tight, never wanting to let go.  
They’d both be quite happy to just stay here forever. Never let go, never leave.

Looking forward to future times will have to do.

**Author's Note:**

> Opinions!  
> Kudos, comments. All of it helps so much.  
> Love you all!


End file.
